93 replies to this topic

[byline]

This is wonderful. I was impressed on first viewing, even more so on second. The title sequence really does tell the story, doesn't it?

[Vauxhall]

Very nice. Thanks for posting that.

[sharpshooter]

The "million shards of glass" moment gives me shivers; Vesper is done so perfect, it's haunting.

The best part of the sequence for me. The burnt old photos floating around is also a nice touch. 

[The Shark]

For me it's Bond and Severine entangled by tentacles, in silhouette projected against a white background. Kleinman and the Framestore team are at their best in monochrome. FWIW, my favourite part of Skyfall's PTS was also the B/W middle eight featuring the fractal zoom and kaleidoscopic antlers.

[sharpshooter]

Bond pointing the PPK with the tentacles wrapping around the gun is also worth mentioning. Love the dark background, too. 

[Double-Oh Agent]

Yeah, Daniel Kleinman does it again. Time and time again he's shown that he is more than up to the task of inheriting Maurice Binder's mantle.

 

While not my favorite, SPECTRE's titles are really good and haunting/creepy. I liked the shards of glass and octopus symbolism particularly when hovering over/threatening Bond and showing up behind Blofeld.

 

I would rate Kleinman's main title sequences thusly:

 

1. Casino Royale (simply a masterpiece--the best of the series)

2. GoldenEye (a breath of fresh air that really sets the mood--easily the second best MTS and really not that far from #1)

3. The World Is Not Enough (I really like this one, especially the oil bits)

4. Skyfall (interesting and enjoyable--a welcome return after his absence from Quantum Of Solace)

5. SPECTRE (again haunting and creepy which does its best to use/save Sam Smith's Writing's On The Wall)

6. Die Another Day (limited with what he could do due to the story constraints but he does a good job progressing the narrative along while still delivering a memorable title sequence that works well with Madonna's title song)

7. Tomorrow Never Dies (a little too digitized throughout for me--it's the one Kleinman effort that doesn't wow me)

[Professor Pi]

For me it's Bond and Severine entangled by tentacles, in silhouette projected against a white background. Kleinman and the Framestore team are at their best in monochrome. FWIW, my favourite part of Skyfall's PTS was also the B/W middle eight featuring the fractal zoom and kaleidoscopic antlers.

 

I didn't think about that being Severine, but that makes a lot of sense.  The silhouettes seem to be emulating the shower scene.  Also, anyone get a Moneypenny vibe from the first girl touching Daniel, especially with her hairstyle?  CBN'r "Catching Bullets" in his review noted that Craig's pose was not unlike that of Lazenby in the OHMSS teaser.  Really amazing how they incorporated even the marketing of other Bond movies to foretell the story.

 

And the burned photos, as if we were watching them burn during the explosion at Skyfall, bloody brilliant! 

[mattjoes]

Kleinman is even better than Binder.

[Hockey Mask]

I agree that Kleinman's are better than Binder's but I think it's a result of technology.

[Revelator]

Kleinman is even better than Binder.

 

No. Kleinman is working in a template created by Binder and with technology Binder could only have dreamed of. Binder's use of silhouettes remains unrivalled and unlike Kleinman he never used tentacle porn!

[FlemingBond]

Binder's were better in my opinion. Kleinman has more technology, but a lot of the girls they've had were just cgi, and the old titles used to always look sexy. some of them recently have ventured more into creepy.

[mattjoes]

No. Kleinman is working in a template created by Binder and with technology Binder could only have dreamed of. Binder's use of silhouettes remains unrivalled and unlike Kleinman he never used tentacle porn!

While Binder did some terrific work in several Bond films (Diamonds are Forever being the standout for me), I feel he failed to exploit all the intriguing thematic and visual elements of each film, especially after The Spy Who Loved Me, when inspiration seemed to abandon him. Just some examples: the broken windshield in OHMSS, the Bond/Scaramanga duality in TMWTGG, space in MR, the dove in FYEO, the Fabergé egg in OP, the lizard in LTK; wasted opportunities to create striking imagery with thematic and narrative weight. (Though OP features what's probably my favorite Binder image: the arms surrounding Bond.) I think he relied a bit too much on those female silhouettes.

If we evaluate originality, then Binder is superior to Kleinman, by virtue of being the pioneer. If we evaluate the actual content of each title sequence, I think Kleinman beats Binder. I don't mind the creepier, more perverse style.

Also, let's not forget Brownjohn's contribution. He was the first to use the female body in a title sequence, and his superimposing of images over bodies is more interesting than plenty of Binder's silhouette work. While Binder might've come up with a similar idea had he done the FRWL and GF titles, to some extent, Brownjohn had a hand in shaping the style of the title sequences.
 

[Harmsway]

Kleinman's work has generally been much stronger than Binder's. Kleinman owes a lot to Binder, but his titles are more inventive, and he has yet to deliver any duds on the level of Binder's many lackluster sequences.

The creepiness of Kleinman's sexual imagery is a strength, not a weakness.

[EyesOnly]

At 3:01 when the camera zooms in on Blofeld's silhouette and transitions into male and female eyes, am I wrong in thinking that is Ian Fleming's eyes staring back at us?  Look just like him.

Edited by EyesOnly, 23 November 2015 - 04:08 PM.

[Walecs]

It's Fleming thinking "What the hell have they done to my creature?"

 

Also, when Blofeld reveals to be Bond's stepbrother, you can hear Kevin McClory saying "This is why I was keeping Blofeld away from EON".

Edited by Walecs, 23 November 2015 - 01:31 PM.

[FlemingBond]

the ghost of fleming will haunt them

[mattjoes]

One brief rewrite and they could've had Bond locate Blofeld by means of a different clue. The connection between them is barely relevant. I wonder if they'll explore it further next time or try to sweep it under the rug.

[tdalton]

One brief rewrite and they could've had Bond locate Blofeld by means of a different clue. The connection between them is barely relevant. I wonder if they'll explore it further next time or try to sweep it under the rug.

I would expect, and hope, that it's the second option.

The connection they share in SPECTRE was silly enough as it is, it definitely doesn't need to be explored further.

[DaveBond21]

I liked it but I thought the 2nd half of the title sequence was a little uninspired, compared to say CR or Skyfall. It was a bit bland.

[Professor Pi]

I mentioned this in another thread somewhere, but clues to Madeleine's fate might be foretold in the titles.  When they're falling, they reach for each other but the hands don't touch.  The symmetrically duplicated woman touching Craig in the beginning is similar looking to Moneypenny, but the one at the end is blonde like Madeleine.  Her images slowly vanish leaving Bond alone.  The Spectre ring is made to look a bit like a wedding ring, but slips off her finger and flies back into the camera.  However, before that, you can see the projection of a skull on her torso.  She's not long for the Bond world. 

 

The next film's PTS may continue with them in the car ...

[antovolk]

Official upload of the title sequence (textless version) from Sony

Edited by antovolk, 28 January 2016 - 05:27 PM.

[RMc2]

Thank you antovolk!

 

Professor Pi, could you point out the timecode where the skull is projected onto Madeleine? I can't find it.

[Shrublands]

It is really interesting that Madeleine presents Bond with what looks like a wedding band at the end, but it slips from their fingers and turns to show it is a Spectre ring. 

Also, the shadow of the Spectre logo hangs over them whilst this happens. 

 

If Madeleine is back in Bond 25 (and I very much think she will be) I hope that if she dies it will not be in the PTS but at the end of act one - about 40 or so minutes in.

Her and Bond's relationship needs more screen time (together with some good writing) for her death to have any real impact. 

[RMc2]

The official synopsis can be really simple too. "Blofeld is back for revenge."

 

Although if Mendes returned, it'd probably be something like,

 

"After the events of SPECTRE, Bond is free of the 00-programme and struggling to adapt to a new life with the only woman who could understand him. But his world is torn apart when an enemy from his past returns to haunt him.

 

Meanwhile, still the team at MI6 must deal with the fallout of SPECTRE's attack, and a new threat from within.

 

Can Bond finally come to terms with his past, and secure his future?"

 

[Tiin007]

The official synopsis can be really simple too. "Blofeld is back for revenge."

 

Although if Mendes returned, it'd probably be something like,

 

"After the events of SPECTRE, Bond is free of the 00-programme and struggling to adapt to a new life with the only woman who could understand him. But his world is torn apart when an enemy from his past returns to haunt him.

 

Meanwhile, still the team at MI6 must deal with the fallout of SPECTRE's attack, and a new threat from within.

 

Can Bond finally come to terms with his past, and secure his future?"

 

 

That was spot-on! And precisely why I had rolled my eyes when SPECTRE's official synopsis was first released. 

[rubixcub]

@RMc2, re: skull projection on Madeleine: it's at 3:39.

 

Dave

[Gobi-1]

Official upload of the title sequence (textless version) from Sony

 

That's doesn't have the tin can echo effect added to Smith's vocals. I prefer this to what was in the final film. 

[Vauxhall]

It is really interesting that Madeleine presents Bond with what looks like a wedding band at the end, but it slips from their fingers and turns to show it is a Spectre ring. 

Also, the shadow of the Spectre logo hangs over them whilst this happens. 

 

Good spot. I'd never noticed it in that way before.

[RMc2]

@RMc2, re: skull projection on Madeleine: it's at 3:39.

 

Dave

 

Thanks! Is it on her chest? Very subtle.

[Professor Pi]

Thank you antovolk!

 

Professor Pi, could you point out the timecode where the skull is projected onto Madeleine? I can't find it.

 

I thought I saw it the third time in the theater, but the fourth time I wasn't so sure.  It's hard to see on small computer screens.  Guess I'll freeze frame it Tuesday when the bluray comes out!